South Dakota Volunteer Firefighter Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Grant Program

The South Dakota Volunteer Firefighter Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Grant Program is administered through the South Dakota Department of Public Safety State Fire Marshal’s Office in partnership with the South Dakota Firefighters Association. The program was established following passage of Senate Bill 136 during the 2026 South Dakota Legislative Session, which appropriated state funding to assist volunteer fire departments with the purchase of firefighter personal protective equipment statewide. The program is intended to strengthen firefighter safety, improve compliance with national protective equipment standards, and help volunteer departments address aging or insufficient PPE inventories. The State Fire Marshal’s Office serves as the primary administrative contact and manages the application, reimbursement, and project oversight process. The purpose of the grant program is to provide reimbursement funding for essential firefighter protective equipment used by volunteer fire departments. Eligible purchases include structural firefighting PPE such as bunker pants, bunker coats, gloves, helmets, hood shrouds, suspenders, and boots. The program also supports wildland firefighting PPE including shirts, pants, helmets, gloves, boots, neck shrouds, goggles, and fire shelters. Rescue PPE such as jackets, pants, helmets, gloves, goggles, and boots are also eligible, along with self-contained breathing apparatus units and one spare bottle per unit. The guidance further notes that other protective gear required by volunteer departments may qualify, including chain saw chaps, ice rescue suits, and traffic safety vests. Equipment purchased through the program must meet current NFPA standards or other nationally recognized safety standards. Certain items are specifically excluded from funding, including wildland backpacks, flashlights, and other equipment not determined to be PPE by the State Fire Marshal’s Office. The grant program is open to South Dakota certified fire departments whose membership is composed of at least 70 percent volunteer firefighters. Departments are not required to be members of the South Dakota Firefighters Association in order to apply. The application requires departments to provide organizational information including fire department name, NERIS ID, FEIN, mailing address, contact information, counties served, and staffing levels for both career and volunteer firefighters. Applicants must also provide a detailed description of the proposed purchase, explain why the department cannot independently fund the equipment, and describe the condition or age of any equipment being replaced. Departments are additionally asked whether they previously received a PPE grant under 2023 HB1127 and whether they are aware of PFAS concerns associated with PPE materials. Applicants must affirm that they will evaluate purchased gear to help minimize firefighter exposure to PFAS. The application process includes a detailed PPE needs assessment and reimbursement worksheet. Departments must identify the number of firefighters lacking specific equipment items, the number using equipment over ten years old or in inoperable condition, and the average age of items to be replaced. The form establishes reimbursement caps for individual equipment categories, including up to $1,800 for bunker coats, $1,400 for bunker pants, $9,000 for SCBA units, and varying amounts for gloves, helmets, boots, wildland gear, rescue PPE, and spare bottles. Applicants must calculate the total number of requested items and the total reimbursement amount requested. Additional supporting documentation may be attached to strengthen the application. Departments must sign a certification affirming that all information provided is accurate and acknowledging penalties for false statements under South Dakota law. Applications for the initial funding cycle must be received by August 1, 2026. The guidance indicates that any unallocated funding may be redistributed through additional application periods until available funds are depleted, indicating the possibility of future recurring or supplemental rounds. Applications may be submitted electronically by email or mailed directly to the State Fire Marshal’s Office in Pierre, South Dakota. The official contact email for submissions and questions is fireinfo@state.sd.us, and the office phone number is 605-773-3562. The grant guidance does not identify a separate letter of intent or pre-application requirement, nor does it describe formal scoring criteria or award notification dates. Reimbursement occurs after equipment is received and invoiced, and grant payments are made directly to the fire department rather than vendors. All funded projects must be completed within eighteen months of the agreement start date. Departments seeking reimbursement will be required to submit a reimbursement request form along with supporting vendor invoices after equipment delivery. The program guidance emphasizes compliance with national PPE standards and encourages departments to provide clear justification for requested purchases, particularly for new equipment categories not previously used by the department. Because the grant is focused on firefighter health and operational readiness, applicants are encouraged to document aging equipment, inadequate inventory, or compliance deficiencies when preparing their submissions. The program reflects a statewide effort to improve firefighter protection capabilities among volunteer departments serving communities throughout South Dakota.

Document aging or noncompliant PPE clearly, explain operational need in detail, and provide thorough justification for why the department cannot independently fund the requested equipment.